Google Messages is planning to add a new messaging protocol in the form of Messaging Layer Security (MLS). Following Google’s commitment to the standard last year, MLS will be the default security layer for encryption once it is fully integrated into Messages.
Meanwhile, Rich Communication Services (RCS) became the main texting platform for Android in 2019, and Apple has recently incorporated support for it in the latest beta version of iOS 18. It is a messaging protocol created to replace traditional SMS and MMS.
It allows for encrypted communication between devices and includes features such as read receipts, multimedia messaging, and typing indicators. Although RCS is an industry standard, most RCS apps currently use Universal Profile 2.4, which lacks end-to-end encryption (E2EE). Instead, data is only encrypted in transit using TLS and IPsec by default.
Google addressed this limitation by incorporating its own E2EE solution in Google Messages. However, with Apple now supporting RCS and third-party Android SMS apps planning to add support, a standardized encryption protocol is still required. To address this need, Google committed to supporting Messaging Layer Security (MLS) last year, aiming to give the emerging standard a strong start.
The MLS Protocol
MLS is an advanced protocol developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). This protocol guarantees that communication between apps and platforms remains encrypted for both one-on-one and group chats, ensuring robust security across different messaging services.
According to Android Police, code hunter Assemble Debug has explored the Google Messages app and found strings and flags associated with MLS, suggesting that its inclusion in the app is forthcoming. The feature is still in development, and its integration into Google Messages is yet to be determined.
Notably, everything suggests that Google wants to make MLS the default security layer for messaging. This is a crucial move towards a future where various messaging apps use a unified encryption standard, which could enable secure texting across different services, provided others also adopt MLS.
By making MLS the default, Google would lead the way in creating a secure and compatible messaging system. However, the adoption of MLS by Google Messages as a new messaging protocol might also impact Apple’s upcoming integration of RCS into its Messages app.
RCS has been Google’s main messaging project since it stopped launching a new messaging app for every different trial, and its efforts are finally showing results. With Apple joining and a new encryption standard that could make it easier for other companies to adopt, the future of RCS messaging looks promising.
Currently, RCS in iOS 18 Beta 2 lacks end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for group chats. While Google Messages offers E2EE for both group and personal chats using a custom extension to the RCS Universal Profile standard, it is improbable Apple will use the E2EE encryption in its Messages app. Therefore, an industry standard like MLS could help close this gap.
